What causes skin texture?

What kind of texture are you noticing?

• Dry, flaky or tight skin: A shortage of moisture makes skin feel rough. Cold weather, low humidity, frequent washing and working with chemicals can contribute. Dryness can affect your face or body.
• Pimples: Acne develops when hair follicles become clogged. A bumpy surface caused by acne is a different problem from skin that simply needs more moisture.
• Tiny, rough bumps: Keratosis pilaris develops when keratin, a protein in the skin's outer layer, plugs hair follicles. These usually painless bumps commonly appear on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks, but can also affect the face. Dry weather can make them more noticeable.
• Itchy, inflamed or scaly patches: Eczema and psoriasis can change skin texture. Contact dermatitis is irritation or an allergic reaction after contact with something such as cosmetics or detergents. Roughness with a rash should not automatically be treated as a need for exfoliation.
• Wrinkled, leathery or thin skin: Natural ageing changes skin's thickness and elasticity. Repeated ultraviolet exposure can cause roughness and deeper wrinkles. Thin, finely crinkled skin can also be linked to sun damage, dryness, weight changes or certain medicines.
• Hard, thick patches: Repeated pressure and friction cause corns and calluses, most often on hands or feet. Reducing the rubbing or pressure matters more than treating the surface alone.

What causes rough skin texture?

Dryness is one common cause, particularly when roughness comes with flaking or tightness. Ageing can contribute because oil production decreases, making moisture harder to retain. However, roughness is not always dryness: clusters of tiny bumps can be keratosis pilaris, and a thick patch where a shoe rubs can be a callus. The location and accompanying symptoms help distinguish the possibilities.156

What should you do first?

A routine can start with gentle washing, moisturizer and sun protection, without promoting every bottle in the bathroom to management.2

1. 1Wash gently with a mild cleanser and warm rather than hot water. Avoid scrubbing, especially if the area is irritated.
2. 2Apply moisturizer after washing while skin is damp. For dry skin, moisturize in the morning and before bed as well. Choose a fragrance free product intended for the face or body area you are treating.
3. 3Protect exposed skin from the sun. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen, which covers UVA and UVB rays, with at least SPF 30. Add protective clothing and seek shade.
4. 4Address the specific cause rather than adding exfoliation automatically. Reduce friction for calluses. For keratosis pilaris, moisturizers containing urea, lactic acid or salicylic acid can help; excessive use of medicated creams or vigorous scrubbing can irritate skin.

What improvement can you expect?

Moisturizers soften dry skin and can make keratosis pilaris bumps less noticeable. Keratosis pilaris is harmless and does not always need treatment. Age related changes are different: creams can help mildly crepey skin, but cannot remove a large amount of loose skin after substantial weight loss. There is no single improvement timetable for these different causes.57

When should you get the texture checked?

See a clinician if dryness persists or repeatedly returns, or if rough patches are painful, cracked, bleeding or accompanied by a persistent rash. Growing lumps and sores that fail to heal need assessment. A new pinkish rough patch, particularly on sun exposed skin, can be an actinic keratosis, a growth with a small risk of becoming skin cancer, rather than ordinary cosmetic texture.136